The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-20
COMMENCEMENT SEASON.
Exercises of the DePauw Literary Societies
President Martins Baccalaureate.


erary societies took place in Meharry Hall last
evening c. E. McNutt, president of Plato, pre-
siding. The following was the programmes
Philo-Valedicrory, 1.-The Origin of Lam
guage," George F. KEEPER, 81; reply GRAFTON.
1.-THE Circle of Three" E. E. Everett. '88.
Plato-Valedictory Mature and Revelation,
F. E. Miller, 'S7; reply, Battle OF Principles,
F. F. Keller, 49,
After the above exercises, which were OF I'M
usual merit were concluded, the diplomas were
conferred upon the graduating members.
At $50 A. NJ. on Sunday the annual class
meeting was held in Plato Hall and was largely
attended by citizens, alumni and old friends OF
the university, who delight to there meet once a
year and recIte their experiences. At 10 A NJ
Meharry Hall was again crowded to its fullest
capacity, to hear the baccalaureate sermon by
President Alexander Martin, d. d. The board
of trustees and faculty and many Of the promi-
nent visitors occupied seats upon the rostrum
After the reading of the Scripture by Dean Bow
man, prayer offered by Bishop Bowman.
chancellor of the university. Miss Kate Ham
mond, the popular contralto soloist, accompanied
on the piano tie by Dean Howe, of the school
of music, then sang Just as Am" in her usual
excellent manner.
President Martin selected his text from the
twenty-fifth chapter of Leviticus. After some
remarks on the national tendency of man to ex-
press and embody emotion, thought and feeling
in enduring symbols, institutions and observ-
ances, he illustrated the subject by reference to
the Hebrew jubilee. The benefcent design of
this institution was to prevent the alienation OF
that land. and that people which, In special
sense, belonged to God. Sickness and poverty
might for season disturb the divine order, but
at jubilee. at the end of every half century, 1t
had to be restored.
The observance had also spiritual sigpfca-
ton. 1t was type of the deliverance from the
bondage of ignorance and sin which was under
taken and is being accomplished by our Lord
Christ. Reference
sermon in the synagogue at Nazareth. when he
took for his text, The spirit of the Lord is
upon me because he hath anointed me to
preach good tidns to the poor-to proclaim the
acceptable year of the Lord" He dwelt on all
that is implied in this, as to its design, the mode
and the sure evidence of its fulfllment. The
lation and work of the church in regard to this
jubilee was fully discussed.
Passing other approved and significant
uses of the term, he spoke of Americas jubilee.
How dark the night and how deep the oppres-
sion just before liberty, In the best sense of the
word. was proclaimed through all the land and
unto all the inhabitants thereof" But when the
lghtnings ceased and the tbunders died away
how bright and pure the sunshine, and how rich
the harvest of good that followed. A noble
testimony to the truth of God and the equality
of man was lifted up the noble army of heroes
and martyrs was increased and the cause OF
humanity UNNECESSARILY advanced
Referring to the current commencement as
the hftieth year. or jubilee, of the university, he
said
Events, all too recent, impressively remind
Us why, IN referring TO this anniversary, the
semicentennial, as the jubilee of the university,
our hearts should be subdued, words be few
The events of the last half-cenrury, IL church
and In state, IL our country and the world, are
far too vast TO permit enumeration here even
or the more important what
development has there been fin the State of In
diana, in the churches, the schools, the colleges
of the State. With faith in God and hope for
the future our fathers. divinely directed, here
laid the foundation of this great enterprise. To
trace Its history and vicissitudes would be TO
well performed by others. The slightest glance
compels to exclaim with gratitude, What
hath God wrought The names of Robert
Stockwell, Jesse Meharry, DIR. George Manners,
DR.. John r. Goodwin. Robert McKim and
others, earth aud in heaven, too many to
enumerate. rise up before In fond array. The
more than thousand alumni, and many
thousands additional who. short of graduation,
still have been large partakers of their benef-
cence are now upon life's stage doing battle man.
fully for God, and the right recur 20 approvetha
wisdom and justify the expenditure of means,
and of effort, and of sacrifice here made. And
now that, under God, the future is secured
by the generous provision made through the
munifcence of him whose name the institution
worthily bears, and who .honors it with the
largest single charitable gift ever made in the
history of Methodism, or in the history OF what
was formerly called the great West and
of the largest ever made by private citizen in
any part of the world-in view of all these con-
siderations, and of the multiplied thousands Of
educated men and women who, from now on to
the contamination of the worlds history, shall
here receive the greatest blessing of their exist
ence-the boon of liberal Christian education
have we not reason, IS We are assembled in
these halls to raise our ebeneZer and swell the
anthem of our glorious jubilee"
He closed with reference to the universal
triumph Of justice. love and truth contemplated
in the establishment, and secured by the ulti-
mate triumph of the kingdom of Christ in the
world Much as has been done we are yet in
the early dawn of still better days. But few,
comparatively, of the secrets of natures great
arcana have been discovered The complete
and universal reign of righteousness is not yet
established. And yet the word of God has
many grand and glowing assurances that these
things even beyond what we can conceive, will
in the future, be accomplished.
In addressing the class more directly he held
up Christ the great central figure. directing
and sustaining the powers of good. and making
them one by one, to triumph over all that
would exalt and oppose itself against Him. He
urged them to follow Him as their captain, and
thus do something to help usher in the worlds
last, best jubilee.
The annual lecture was delivered at $50 by
ex-senator James Harlan. to crowded assem-
bly,. After some beautiful music rendered by
the college choir, he proceeded to discuss the
following subject: Are the Doctrines and Pre-
cepts of Christianity in Accord with the Deduc-
tions of Human Reason" In a very able and
eloquent mann er he found that they were, tax
ing as the basis of his reasoning the following
That these doctrines and precepts
are is manifest in the creation and preservation
of life; In the plan Of redemption gwen to the
world by Christ and as manifest in the observ-
dnCe VI Inc GROWING prec0pt Oh
Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy
whole heart" and finally. that these dsctrines
are vindcated by their effective utility and by a
of the Christien with the heather
nations of the world. Ex-senator Harlan is of
the class of As and heard with great interest
and attention. both as an alumnus of the uuiver-
sty and as distinguished statesman.
The number enrolled during the year amounts
TO the large aggregate of S43-over one hundred
more than any previous year. The number OF
graduates IL various departments is over sixty
Forty-sIx of these is from the college OF liberal
arts alone.
A NOTED CLERGYMAN.